Build-Your-Own Fantasy Tanglewood Film Night program

[BSOinsider 42]

I'm curious to see what an imagined Film Night program might look like for users of this forum. Using the following rules, please design your own "John Williams' Film Night at Tanglewood" program!

-Maestro Williams can only only conduct half a program, and no longer plays solo piano on programs.

-Total length of all music programmed including encores cannot exceed 100 minutes.

-No film clips which synch with film music like a LTP are permitted, but non-plotted projections are ok. (This is a film rights-issue.)

-No more than 3 Encores. 

 

For ease of reading and comparison, please try to stick to the general format I'm using below (Demonstrated with Copies of the 2023 and 2017 Film Night Programs):

 

50:00 - First half: David Newman Conducting

3:30 - Whiting/Williams: Hooray for Hollywood, with film projection montage of classic films

9:30 - Williams: The Cowboys Overture

6:00 - Herrmann: Scène d’amour from Vertigo

8:00 - Williams: Suite from Far and Away

8:00 - Williams: E.T. Flying Theme

6:00 - Williams: Theme from Jurassic Park

9:00 - Williams: Love Theme and March from Superman, with Projection of JW footage

-Intermission-

45:30 - Second half: John Williams Conducting

3:30 - Williams: Adventures of Mutt 

4:00 - Williams: Call of the Champions, with projections of Olympics footage

3:00 - Williams: Dry Your Tears, Afrika

4:00 - Williams: Duel of the Fates, with Star Wars montage projection

4:00 - Williams: Theme from Schindler's List

4:30 - Williams: The Asteroid Field

3:30 - Williams: Anakin’s Theme

8:00 - Williams: Throne Room and Finale

4:00 - Williams: Helena's Theme (Encore)

4:00 - Williams: E.T. Flying Theme Encore)

3:00 - Williams: Imperial March (Encore)

 

----

 

37:00 - First half: Andris Nelsons Conducting

4:30 - Korngold: Adventures of Robin Hood March

9:00 - North: Spartacus Forest Meeting and March

6:00 - Herrmann: Scène d’amour from Vertigo

3:00 - Williams: Adventures of Tintin The Duel, with Classic Film Duel montage projection

3:30 - Williams: Dracula End Title, with Dracula Film Montage

11:00 - Williams: E.T. Adventures on Earth

-Intermission-

53:00 - Second half: John Williams Conducting

3:30 - Williams: Adventures of Mutt 

7:30 - Williams: Close Encounters, Excerpts

5:00 - Parade of the Slave Children

8:00 - Williams: Suite from Far and Away

5:00 - Williams: With Malice Towards None

3:30 - Williams: Chamber of Secrets

3:30 - Williams: Fawkes the Phoenix 

4:30 - Williams: Harry's Wondrous World

4:30 - Williams: March from 1941 (Encore)

4:30 - Williams: Theme from Schindler's List (Encore)

3:00 - Williams: Imperial March (Encore)

 

A complete listing of Tanglewood programs can be found on https://archives.bso.org/ (and also by using the search function on this forum haha)

Click the text next to the red downward arrow 'Show Additional Options', and then in the 'Event Title' field, add "Film Night at Tanglewood". Many (not all) of the Film-themed Tanglewood performances are displayed with this search.

 

In reality, Mr. Williams plans these programs himself but I thought it might be interesting to see what classics and obscure pieces made the cut for a musical "Fantasy Bracket".

[Tom 4,660]

Cool topic.  I will think on it.  Part of the problem for me is that I would selfishly want pieces I have not heard performed.  So the program would not be the normal crowd pleaser.  

 

However, I will think about it in terms using the assumption that I have heard it all performed before, so what do I want to hear again.  

[BSOinsider 42]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Cool topic.  I will think on it.  Part of the problem for me is that I would selfishly want pieces I have not heard performed.  So the program would not be the normal crowd pleaser.  

 

However, I will think about it in terms using the assumption that I have heard it all performed before, so what do I want to hear again.  

That's totally ok! I'm curious which deep cuts you think are worth it, and how you'd work those into a program. Would you do all obscure pieces, or mix in a few classics?

[Tom 4,660]

The obscure pieces would be the The Esplanade Overture, Men of Yorktown March, Leaving Home version from the Oscars, Of Grit and Glory, Seven Years in Tibet, Amazing Stories: The Mission: Jonathan Begins to Draw and The Landing.  Something from AI: Maybe Search for the Blue Fairy and/or Reunion.   NBC News Suite--especially the Fugue for Changing Times.  Nixon: The Turbulent Years.   Masterpiece Theatre American Collection Theme.  Parade of the Slave Children.    

[BSOinsider 42]

15 hours ago, Tom said:

The obscure pieces would be the The Esplanade Overture, Men of Yorktown March, Leaving Home version from the Oscars, Of Grit and Glory, Seven Years in Tibet, Amazing Stories: The Mission: Jonathan Begins to Draw and The Landing.  Something from AI: Maybe Search for the Blue Fairy and/or Reunion.   NBC News Suite--especially the Fugue for Changing Times.  Nixon: The Turbulent Years.   Masterpiece Theatre American Collection Theme.  Parade of the Slave Children.    

 

4:30 - Williams: Esplanade Overture

2:30 - Williams: Men of Yorktown March

4:00 - Williams: Leaving Home (4min Oscars 2019 Version)

4:00 - Williams: of Grit and Glory

7:00 - Williams: Seven Years in Tibet Main Theme

6:00 - Williams: The Mission: Jonathan begins to Draw 

5:00 - Williams: The Mission: The Landing 

6:00 - Williams: AI: The Search for the Blue Fairy

8:00 - Williams: AI: The Reunion

8:30 - Williams: The Mission Suite (The Mission, Fugue for Changing Times, Scherzo for Today, The Pulse of Events)

5:00 - Williams: Nixon Turbulent Years

3:30 - Williams: Masterpiece Theatre American Collection Theme

5:00 - Williams: Parade of the Slave Children

 

70 minutes of music, so 25ish more minutes to fill. If you don't include something from Star Wars the crowd might riot! Some great picks in there. I think Esplanade Overture, Seven Years in Tibet, and the Mission Suite would be fantastic additions to a Film Night program.

[Thor 7,508]

I think we've done at least one previous thread on "dream concert programs", but I can't remember what it was called. In one of those, I remember rattling off a wish about a concert consisting mainly of his jazz or pop scores from the 60s, which I still stand by. So no orchestral ensemble needed. Of course, that wouldn't be fitting for a venue such as Tanglewood. But no worries....I have LOADS of rarites beyond the early jazz and pop stuff I would love to see in concert. Needs some thinking and consideration, though.

[Smeltington 1,440]

This was a fun exercise. I've wished many times that someone would ask me to program Film Night! Of course, the best outcome would be a three-night Williams festival with no repeated material. But as it is, here's the first half of the concert, conducted by whoever is up to the challenge, likely Keith Lockhart, since he seems enthusiastic about programming and conducting Williams "rarities":

 

The Land Race

Three Pieces from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:

A Window to the Past

Buckbeak's Flight

Double Trouble

Three Random Pieces Some Guy Picked from Three Random Star Wars Movies:

Anthem of Evil

The Death Star

Love Pledge & The Arena

A New Beginning

The Raptors Appear / High Bar and Ceiling Tiles

Freedom's Call

Remembering Emilie, and Finale

The Fabelmans

 

That's a first half close to 50 minutes, an unwieldy and improbable John Williams smorgasbord. But that's why it's my fantasy and not my reality.

 

Second half, conducted by a turbo charged John Williams, for another 50 minutes:

 

The Adventures of Tintin

Selections from the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Children's Suite:

Hedwig's Flight

Hogwarts Forever

Voldemort

Nimbus 2000

Fluffy and His Harp

Quidditch

Family Portrait

Diagon Alley

The Mine Car Chase

Farewell Neverland

Canto Bight (encore)

Farewell and the Trip (encore)

The Rise of Skywalker (encore)

 

This exercise made me realize most of my essential Williams tracks fall into one of three categories - finales, setpieces, or theme arrangements.

 

As an insider, can you confirm that the above program will be used for this year's Film Night?  

[BSOinsider 42]

4 hours ago, Smeltington said:

 I've wished many times that someone would ask me to program Film Night!

Me too! Haha!

 

4 hours ago, Smeltington said:

As an insider, can you confirm that the above program will be used for this year's Film Night?  

Nailed it, just put Imperial March as the last encore and you're there. (Kidding of course)

 

Regarding your selections, Land Race is a nice choice for opener! I would love to hear your first half Star Wars suite, that's a great set! And wow, you fit a lot of Harry Potter in there! I'd really enjoy a Sid Ramin-esque arrangement of Canto Bight as a surprise encore, that would be great. Thanks for taking to time to type all that out!

[Smeltington 1,440]

1 hour ago, BSOinsider said:

Nailed it, just put Imperial March as the last encore and you're there.

 

Pretty much!

 

After last week's Harry Potter-free Carnegie Hall program, I'm ready to course correct. I really love the Children's Suite, and I've seen the HPSS live-to-picture twice now, so the suite is the biggest missing piece! And it's criminal that Williams never includes anything from Azkaban, which is part of the official canon of JWFan's top 10 Williams scores. Although you can argue that some of this material is in the LTP, but whatever! At least we get a broadcast of Window to the Past to cherish.

 

The first half Star Wars suite is where I realized I had a bunch of random Star Wars tracks and grouped them. Whereas you probably caught on to the fact that the encores form a sequel trilogy suite. It would have been nice to include something from Phantom Menace, but it's ok, I'm still basking in the glow of last year's Film Night selections from that score. And RotS is covered by my fantasy program for Williams' set at Tanglewood on Parade  :

 

Anakin's Dark Deeds/It Can't Be

Remembering Childhood

Where Dreams Are Born

 

Is there a Sid Ramen track that hints at how he would approach Canto Bight? And, when will we see your list?

 

 

[DangerMotif 1,038]

Need to do Irina’s theme, the complete version was played once 16 years ago.

[GerateWohl 4,370]

I am confused. In how far is this supposed to be a pure Williams program or not?

I see some proposals containing just Williams or one or two or a whole day program with non-Williams music.

What is the concept here?

 

[Jay 37,369]

The main post contains the set lists of actual concerts that happened, with some non-Williams pieces in them.

 

Every reply since the main post has only listed Williams pieces.

[BSOinsider 42]

13 hours ago, Smeltington said:

Is there a Sid Ramen track that hints at how he would approach Canto Bight? And, when will we see your list?

 

This is Sid Ramin's treatment of Cantina Band.

 

[JWScores 25]

Nice exercise! Here is my take, assuming that there is also a choir. 

 

 

FIRST PART (50:30)

 

SUITE FROM THE SW PREQUELS

4:30 Duel of the Fates
3:00 Anakin's Theme
5:30 Across the Stars
3:45 Battle of the Heroes

 

MISCELLANEOUS 
5:00 The Early Days from Born on the Fourth of July
4:30 Theme from Schindler's List
13:30 Suite from Jane Eyre

SUITE FROM DRACULA

2:50 To Scarborough
4:10 Dracula's Death
3:45 End Titles

 

 

SECOND PART (45:30)

 

SCIENCE FICTION SUITE

21:30 "Final Act" from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (see below)
15:00 Escape/Chase/Saying Goodbye from E.T. (i.e., NOT the Signature Edition score, but rather the three final cues as written for the movie)

 

ENCORES

4:30 Han Solo and the Princess (the old concert arrangement)
4:30 Superman March
 

 

 

With "Final Act" from CEO3K I mean this set of cues, presented exactly in this order and in this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L1HHGNa5pI

 

 

I've left out lots of pieces that I would very much love to hear in a concert (e.g. the whole final act from A.I.), but I think this program is a good compromise between different needs and tastes.  

 

[BSOinsider 42]

6 hours ago, JWScores said:

Nice exercise! Here is my take, assuming that there is also a choir. 

[...]

I've left out lots of pieces that I would very much love to hear in a concert (e.g. the whole final act from A.I.), but I think this program is a good compromise between different needs and tastes.  

 

Amazing program! Nice pacing, and an excellent mix of well-known and rare selections. I'd love to have more cues directly from the film score played. HL arrangements are convenient and great for many orchestras, but the POPS can absolutely do better for a special occasion like Film Night.

[JWScores 25]

3 hours ago, BSOinsider said:

Amazing program! Nice pacing, and an excellent mix of well-known and rare selections. I'd love to have more cues directly from the film score played.  

 

I would love that too. The main point, for me, is that a selection of music from a movie must be long and structured enough to tell a story; it should not just exploit the "reminiscence effect" on the crowd for a couple of minutes. That suite from Close Encounters is a fantastic piece, and it must also be a great fun to play. I feel that something similar can be done for A.I. and many other JW scores. The whole final reel from Revenge of the Sith would probably be suitable as well (albeit a bit dark). Also, the whole Battle of Yavin or the whole Battle of Hoth. The "Jonathan's Death - Leaving Home - Fortress of Solitude" sequence from Superman. The banquet or the flying sequences from Hook. And so on...